From Darkness To Twilight
by Aura Spirit
Summary: With the death of Ganondorf and Zant's destruction, the War of Twilight ended. The time for reparations had come, but it was not to be, for an uncompromising collector of artifacts bridged the void of time and space in order to acquire the power of the Twili's most dangerous weapon- the Fused Shadow. The second Tale of Acquisition.
1. The Arrival

From Darkness to Twilight: Prologue

**Helloooo everyone, Aura Spirit here with a new story for y'all, featuring everyone's favourite robotic collector. Enjoy, rate and please review, as I can make things better with reviews.**

**Now, this story is set immediately after the events of Twilight Princess, with the one deviation in the form of the Mirror of Twilight still being intact. Spoilers! While set in the same universe as "Of a Time of War", it's discontinuous, meaning that this story happens as if the other never happened and vice versa.**

**On to the story!**

-Solemnace-

"My Phaeron, there is a strange object falling from orbit. Our databases have been unable to identify it."

"Are you sure it's not just some Warp-spawned anomaly? That Hellspace disgorges all sorts of monstrosities every time there is a Warp Storm."

"There are no traces of Warp Dust on the object."

"Is it constructed from Wraithbone?"

"No, my Phaeron."

"Is it some sort of Tyranid egg sac?"

"No, my Phaeron."

"Is it an Inquisitorial warhead?"

"No my Phaeron."

Trazyn stood from behind his desk. While other Lords and Phaerons were content with a throne, Trazyn preferred to show off a few of the less expendable relics he had acquired throughout his long existence in the galaxy. The room was large and ornate, the vaulted ceiling pulsing with energy, the eerie light serving to illuminate the room. The large wooden desk was cluttered with strange and wonderful artefacts; while some were just fragments of armour or emblems from the many races of the galaxy, others were intricate machines and gadgets, each having an obscure purpose. These small objects were numerous and varied, yet only made up a fraction of Trazyn's vast collection.

"Where is its projected impact location?"

The knowledge was in his head a moment later- approximately four kilometres to the west of the Galleries. He navigated his Galleries with practiced speed, reaching the nearest exit and threw open the doors. He looked into the night sky. A bright streak was already moving across it with alarming speed, lighting up the night. Trazyn summoned a Tomb Blade, and the floating vehicle sped across the landscape and came to a stop next to him. He mounted it, speeding after the light trail that the object had left. Soon enough, a flash lit the horizon, accompanied by a loud explosion and powerful tremors. The Tomb Blade closed the distance between the Galleries and the impact site with remarkable speed, the barren landscape of Solemnace blurring past in a mix of greys and blue. Trazyn slowed the Tomb Blade, coming to a stop at the edge of the crater. The impact had melted the ice just below the topsoil- as a result, any fires that had been occurred had long since gone out. Trazyn was not interested with the state of the impact sight.

In the centre of the crater, a shard of rock protruded from the ground. It looked sharp, with many points facing in every direction. Orange veins pulsed on the rock, and even from a distance, Trazyn could almost feel the energy radiating from it. He stepped towards the rock, and upon close inspection, it was not rock but jet black crystal. He reached out to pick it up, closing his hand around the strange crystal and immediately regretting it. At his touch, the crystal began to corrode the alloy of his hand. Trazyn dropped it. Not to be denied, he removed a Gauss tube from beneath his cloak and aimed it at the crystal. A solitary bolt of energy leapt from the tube to the crystal and lifted it up, the orange veins glowing brighter as the energy was absorbed. Working quickly, Trazyn placed the crystal in the storage container he had attached to every Tomb Blade of the Galleries. With the anomalous object contained, he returned to the Galleries to examine his latest prize, providing it turned out to be valuable.

Hidden beneath the Prismatic Galleries was a vast laboratory. To any other race, the sheer number of machines would seem excessive, but to Trazyn, they were the lifeline of his Galleries. These machines could identify the origin of any object from the Realspace, as well as the race that constructed it. Certain machines also helped him identify exactly when an object was made, allowing Trazyn to keep his Galleries as informative and comprehensive as possible, as if there were regular visitors to it.

Trazyn brought the crystal to the first machine, designed to gauge how old the object was. Scanners whirred into life, bathing the crystal in beams of strange light. According to the scans, the crystal was only two Terran years old, which struck Trazyn as odd. A crystal of this size should take several decades if not centuries to form. Trazyn shrugged to himself, moving the crystal to the next machine.

Through the use of small spatial engines, the point of origin of any object could be determined. As the machine clicked and hummed quietly, as set of galactic coordinates began forming on the terminal attached to the screen. As Trazyn deciphered them, he was left confused again. The point of origin of the crystal was supposedly above Solemnace, two kilometres outside his scanners' range but still inside the gravity well of the planet. There was no conclusive data; it was as if it appeared out of nowhere before crashing into the planet below.

Trazyn moved the crystal to his final machine, one that would identify which race constructed an object or the race that controlled the planet from which it came from.

There was no result.

This infuriated Trazyn to no end. He had no idea what this rock was or what it did, other than corrode his hand whenever he touched it. He lifted the crystal into a canister and carried it away. He would have to resort to using live subjects to see what it did.

He walked swiftly to the holding cells. He never enjoyed his visits here, however brief. But, no collection was complete without a living specimen of each of the many races of the galaxy, so he pushed his distaste aside so that he may possess a truly grand collection. While he hated his visits, he took a small amount of joy in inflicting pain on his Eldar captives, it seemed to cheat him up in a morbid way. He took nowhere near as much pleasure in harming things as Szeras; the altered Cryptek enjoyed his tortures to an arguably indecent degree, even by Necron standards. However, at certain times, live testing had no alternatives.

The cell's door slid open, revealing the captive Eldar inside. Her head snapped towards the open door, her eyes burning with contempt. Trazyn lifted the crystal from the canister, presenting it to her.

"What is that? Some new torture implement? I never would have thought that Trazyn the Infinite would sink so low. You're all the same to me."

"Your racism, while mildly offensive, continues to amuse me. However, this is not a torture device. You are my live experiment."

Trazyn thrust the Gauss tube forward, the dark crystal launched across the room at high speeds. It pierced the Eldar's shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain. Trazyn began recording her, the footage saved directly into his mind.

A sudden change came across the Eldar, starting at the wound he had caused. Her pale flesh began to darken, spreading out from the crystal and engulfing her arm. It spread across her chest, flowing across her torso and down her back, her skin becoming as dark as the crystal. Red lines began to glow underneath, and she screamed out in pain again. Her limbs were twisting, warping and lengthening, muscle mass growing beneath her skin, threatening to break it. Her face began to warp as well, the short teeth of the Eldar being replaced by fangs for akin to a beast than an intelligent being. As soon as the transformation was complete, she slumped in her bonds, unconscious. The crystal turned to dust which was then absorbed by her body. The corrupted Eldar then awoke, thrashing against her bonds, yanking the chains in an attempt to break free. Trazyn simply stepped back, letting the beast before him tire itself out. He swiftly stabbed it in the chest, ending its short, spiteful existence. Trazyn was then surprised when its body came apart into hundreds of small black particles. They hovered in the air for a moment before coalescing at a single point, forming a large fragment of armour. Trazyn caught it before it hit the ground and inspecting it. He carried it back to his lab, waiting impatiently as his machines analysed the armour. As soon as the scans were complete, Trazyn read the glyphs as they appeared on the labs' display. He discovered four things: this object was thousands of years old, it was not of any race currently present in the 41st millennium, and it was crafted in a realm separate but close to the Realspace. The one thing that intrigued Trazyn the most though was the fact that it was a part of something greater. His machines could not say what it was a part of, but the fact that it was part of a collection drove Trazyn to the point of excitement. However, he would need to travel through time to get to the rest of the pieces, a concept that was dubious at best, and catastrophic at worst. It wasn't unheard of for a Tomb World to completely vanish from existence, a result of careless meddling in the past. However, Trazyn had an advantage over most dynasties when it came to time travel- the wisdom of Orikan the Diviner. While such a service came at a price, Trazyn had many artefacts that were worth enough that Orikan accepted them instead of troops or vehicles. In the span of a day, Trazyn had sent a Hyperscroll with an attached artefact to Orikan, a trinket that served as a powerful ward against Psykers, as it prevented warp influence in a small area. Soon after, Orikan's transport ship had entered the atmosphere. His small craft was deceptively fast, a result of Temporal Flux drives that Trazyn had helped design. Within minutes of landing, Orikan was inspecting the sizeable piece of armour, scanning it with his own technology to discern where and when it came from. The blue glow of his eyes was replaced by the normal green, and he turned to Trazyn.

"From what I can tell, this object is a quarter of a war mantle. It was forged in our universe countless millennia ago but became sealed in a separate realm. I can safely send you to the separate realm, but you will have to find your own way from there. I also recommend wearing this war mantle while I send you there. Not only will it make my task easier, but I can sense power in this object. It will help you greatly."

Trazyn thought about these facts carefully. Gathering the rest of the war mantle was an extremely high-risk, high profit situation. He could be destroyed, or gain yet another priceless artefact.

"How many troops will I be able to take there?"

"I am going to limit you to yourself and twelve troops. Any more than that and I run the risk of tearing you apart. If you take the resources to construct a Dolmen Gate, I will have a fixed point to transport things to. You will have no vehicles until you construct them yourself, but again I can send resources through."

"Give me five minutes."

Trazyn walked to his Galleries. Hidden away was a switch that would open an equally hidden elevator leading to his stasis crypt. Buried five miles beneath the surface was the most sophisticated technology on Solemnace, machines complex and efficient enough to ensure a safe sleep and rapid awakening for Trazyn and his royal court. His court contained some of the finest warriors that were legendary heroes of the Necrontyr that now lived forever as the eternal vanguard of Solemnace. Four of them were awake at all times, patrolling the royal crypt. The rest were either sleeping or administrating on Solemnace. It was the four currently awake that Trazyn chose to take with him, with eight royal constructors, the most efficient constructors possessed by a dynasty accompanying them. As soon as the four vanguard left the bounds of the royal crypt, four more awoke, stepping out of their intricate coffins and beginning their vigilant watch. Trazyn led his troops to the elevator, the metal platform ferrying the automata back to the surface in just two minutes. He made his way back to Orikan, who was busy gathering temporal energy, eyes blazing blue.

"If you are ready to depart, step into the light."

Trazyn nodded in acknowledgment, ordering his vanguard through and his constructors. He lowered the war mantle onto his left shoulder, stepping into the light after them. He felt himself split into atoms, transported across the skeins of time. His mind experienced a terrible nothingness before he was reconstituted. His vision returned slowly, the world in which he and his vanguard stood no more than a deep blue smudge against a pale yellow glow. As the seconds went by, Trazyn's vision completely reasserted itself. Trazyn would have gasped if he had the lungs to do so.

The realm in which he stood was beautiful; while such an observation was beyond most Necrons, it was not beyond Trazyn. They were stood on a earth mote of a non-terrestrial rock. This earth mote was one of the countless he could see in the pale yellow void. Many of the islands looked to be on the same stratum as the one on which he was stood, but so many more were suspended above and below in many more strata and substrata. Black particles were interspersed between each island, many clouds of them being drawn towards the islands.

The closest island looked far different than the others. Most of the landmass was dominated by a monolithic structure, arcane symbols carved into the walls. A huge stream of particles was being drawn into the structure. Trazyn watched as a new floor appeared above the already-tall structure, the particles floating and becoming solid in seconds. The stream of particles stopped, the excess simply floating back into the void.

Directly across from the palace was an ethereal circle of light. Several sections were rotating, arcane and mysterious sigils orbiting around a crest made up of three triangles. Several sections moved forwards, others moving backwards as a cloud of bright particles gathered before the circle; moments later, they formed the shape of a young man clad in green. An ornate shield hung over an equally ornate sheath, a winged cross guard was visible above the shield. The boy walked towards the palace, disappearing into the structure.

"Remarkable. Truly remarkable. Now then, to business. We must first take the palace. I doubt any other denizens would be willing to attack us if we had their ruler."

Gravity Displacement Packs whined into life, the thirteen androids floating across the void and approaching the building's mighty doors.

"Ready your weapons. I imagine we will not be welcome here."

**And so begins another tale of woe and terrible events. Let me know if you enjoy it. Please review, as I can fix things if I know what's wrong.**

**Aura, out.**


	2. Encounter

FDTT Ch1

**Alright, the first true chapter is here! Forward!**

**All locations will be given as they appear in the Wii version of Twilight Princess, with the Gerudo Desert in the east and the Eldin province in the west.**

-Palace of Twilight-

A young man in green walked through the ever-present shadows of the Palace of Twilight. The cold corridors that had seemed so sinister only hours ago now felt welcoming; red sigils, remnants of Zant's tyrannical rule, had immediately been wiped from the walls with "clean" magic. The clouds of dark crystals had been stemmed and dispersed, their corruption no longer posing a danger to the young man. The arcane platforms that had required a Sol to power had been given a dedicated power supply so that the Sols may reside inside the Palace, where they were safe.

The young man soon reached his destination, a balcony overlooking the Twilight Realm. As he opened the door, he could see a woman stood at the railing. As he stepped onto the balcony, the woman's burnt-orange hair billowed outwards, forming a large hand that pulled him forward unexpectedly.

"Link, don't you think it's polite to knock?"

"I didn't realise you considered this balcony to be your private area, Midna."

Despite being made of hair, the hand was extremely dextrous. It gripped him almost gently, but he knew he would be going nowhere else other than towards the Twilight Princess.

Once Ganondorf had been vanquished, Midna had returned to the Twilight Realm. Zant had ruined many of the halls of the Palace, clearing them of their displays and heirlooms and filling them with devious traps and cruel puzzles, all accompanied by clouds of dark crystals. Once the insane puppet had been subdued, Midna had remained cursed. In a fit of rage, she had taken a morsel of the Fused Shadow's power and with it, completely destroyed Zant. Only when Link had killed Ganondorf had she finally regained her true form. While it had been a unique experience to ride around on Link's back or in his shadow, she hated every second of her cursed imp form. She was restricted to basic levitation and teleportation, and her hair-hand was exactly that- merely a third hand. Upon regaining her full powers, she was teleporting instantaneously and no longer had a need for levitation. Instead, she could manipulate other objects, and her hair-hand was much more dextrous. She also had a much more profound affinity with Twilit particles. She could conjure a wide range of objects, from walls and stairs to weapons and traps.

Midna relented, retracting her hair-hand and pulling Link into a tight hug. He returned it, maintaining their embrace for almost a minute. Midna pulled away, looking across the recovering Twilight Realm. Link followed suite, gazing at the arcane circles that formed the Mirror of Twilight. He watched as a Twili merchant, clad in protective clothing to mitigate the World of Light's detrimental effects on the denizens of the World of Shadow, approached the Mirror, splitting into particles and disappearing into the World of Light, to Arbiter's Grounds in the Gerudo Desert.

"It's beautiful here."

Midna turned to him and smiled incredulously.

"Well, at least you don't see this all the time. You have too much of a good thing and it ceases to be good."

"With one exception."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"You."

"You're such a hopeless romantic!"

Midna punched him playfully in the shoulder, falling into fits of laughter.

"Say, how's the wolf half of you doing?"

"I can't access it. In case you forgot, you hold the crystal that lets me change."

She laughed quietly.

"Of course I do, but have you tried without? I can change my appearance with magic."

To demonstrate, she gathered Twilit Particles around her. As they cleared, she no longer had the patchy pale and dark skin of the Twili, but rather the fair complexion of Zelda. However, instead of her normal blue eyes, Midna's fiery eyes had remained.

"Midna, your eyes..."

"I know. I've been trying to mask them too, but it's a complicated spell. But, I have been working on something else too..."

Energy built in her right hand, a black sphere with glowing lines. She threw it at Link and the sphere exploded, leaving a painful burn. At the same time, energy was building in her left hand, a black sphere with green lines. As Link growled in pain, Midna threw the second sphere at him. The green lines on the sphere were distributed across Link's body, focused on the burn. The burnt flesh was rapidly replaced by healthy flesh, leaving no remains of the painful burn, not even a scar.

"That's amazing! When did you learn to do that?"

"A few days before Zant cursed me. I had to try it out on someone to know I could still do it."

She shot a guilty smile at Link.

"You hurt me without knowing if your spell would work. That is so you."

"Who's that down there?"

She pointed towards the Mirror of Twilight. Link followed her point, seeing thirteen metallic figures walking towards the Palace. They were tall, Link could tell that even from his elevated position. They looked to be about nine feet tall at least. They didn't look human, Hylian or Twili. They didn't have the yellow skin of the Gorons nor the blue flesh of the Zora. They appeared to be robotic, but moved as if they were organic.

"Something doesn't feel right about them."

The Crest of Courage on Link's hand suddenly flared up, golden light shining through the leather gauntlet he wore. He winced in pain, hand burning as the light continued to spill forth. The thirteen figures stopped, cold glares fixed on the pillar of light. The lead figure pointed, and immediately one of the other robots levitated into the air, landing on the balcony with a heavy thud, the pale bricks cracking with the impact. It towered over Link, a metallic hand shooting forward and closing around his wrist, accompanied by several sickening crunches. Link groaned in pain. The robot's blank face moved close to his hand, inspecting the golden triangle there.

"Leave them. They do not have what we're looking for."

The robot released Link, letting drop to the floor while it turned and vaulted over the balcony, landing and falling in to its group. Midna used her healing magic to repair the crushed bones of Link's hand. She returned to the balcony's edge, scrutinising the group of robots before gasping in shock.

A piece of the Fused Shadow was attached the leader's left shoulder. The ancient and powerful war mantle had been scattered after the destructive battle with Ganondorf. No complete fragment had been recovered. Slivers of the war mantle had been collected from Hyrule Field and mixed with other metals and subsequently forged into powerful magical weapons. To see a complete fragment was a major cause for concern.

"Link, listen to me now. I need you to follow every one of my instructions if we are to survive. That being down there is wearing a piece of the Fused Shadow. We need to strike now before he finds any more intact pieces. Follow me."

Link followed Midna into the depths of the Palace. An explosion reverberated through the halls as the stone slab for a front door was fractured and blasted out of place. The thirteen robots strode through, staring at the Palace's inhabitants with a cold gaze. The leader gestured to the other robots and they split up, four parties heading in different directions. Midna and Link stayed out of sight. Once the robots had passed, Midna took Link's hand and led him to the colossal courtyard that contained a Dusk Forge. The gargantuan machine was shut down at the moment, the gleaming dish as silent as the air around it.

"What is this?"

"A Dusk Forge. It can create almost anything provided there is enough Twilit material to construct it. This makes it extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. It could make this Palace into a fortress or mass-produce autonomous soldiers. For these reasons, we have to destroy it."

"How?"

"By overworking it. It's not designed to be able to create rifts in space, which is why Zant never used it as an invasion weapon."

"Start then. Make a portal or something."

"Please. I know what I'm doing."

Midna stepped up to the machine, throwing her arms wide. The Dusk Forge started up, pulsing lines and sigils appearing on the dish. Twilight Particles were drawn into it and deposited above Midna's head, where they condensed into a sphere. The machine's noise rose in pitch, the flow of Particles increasing. The sphere grew in size, albeit very slowly. Link drew his sword and shield, settling into a warrior's stance, ready for the approaching threat. While not as powerful as the Master Sword, which he had returned to its shrine after Ganondorf had been vanquished, it served its purpose of maiming and killing.

The sphere continued to grow, Particles flying out of the Forge at an incredible rate. The ground shook as the machine sped up again, the dish shuddering as it was pushed beyond its safe parameters.

The one wall exploded, revealing the metallic invaders. The sphere was big enough now to step into.

"Ah, there you are. You know, I thought at first that this was some elaborate distraction, but now I see that you're creating something. Hyper-spatial travel? Such a machine was not built for this purpose. Seize them."

Two of the Vanguard stepped forward, one drawing a great sword and the other lifting a large hammer. Link wasted no time, charging forward and thrusting the Ordon Sword at the hammer-wielding robot. It stepped back, swinging the huge weapon. It knocked the simple blade down and out of the young man's grip. Link rolled to dodge the falling hammer, the head cracking the ground. He recovered his sword, sheathing it and approaching the Hammerer. It strode towards him, shifting its grip on its hammer, bringing it upwards for another devastating swing. Before it could bring it down, Link had grabbed his sword, drawn it and swung it with deadly accuracy across the robot's head and torso- Mortal Draw. The robot's head fell off its shoulders, landing with a thud at Link's feet. He waited for the next assault. The other twelve robots were watching him. He was sure that if the leader possessed a mouth, it would be sneering. Turning in confusion, he leapt backwards in surprise when the Hammerer's hands reclaimed its head and placed it on its shoulders. After a series of clicks, the lights in its eyes activated and the hammer was drawn again.

The Dusk Forge began to shudder more violently, the dish cracking and denting from the pressure.

"Link! We need to leave!"

The sphere had grown big enough to lead a cart through. A powerful blast of magic repelled the sword-wielding Necron and the Hammerer. The sphere fell, blossoming outwards and engulfing Midna. Link ran towards it, sheathing his sword and stretching out his hand, running into the sphere.

Trazyn watched Link run and immediately saw his intent. He retrieved two dark crystals, wincing as they began to corrode his hands and threw them with deadly accuracy. Inside the sphere, he watched Midna's body come apart, the crystal disappearing with it. Link's body was also disappearing, first his hand, then his arm, the deconstruction spreading across the rest of his body. His head and legs came apart; he almost escaped unscathed. The dark crystal skewered his foot, disappearing with the rest of his body. The sphere collapsed, releasing a huge amount of Twilit particles. They engulfed the courtyard, obscuring Trazyn's vision. As the swarm cleared, he watched the Dusk Forge's supports give way, the golden dish hitting the ground and fracturing.

"My Phaeron, the organics got away. Should we follow?"

"I was not aware that I had programmed you to state the obvious. Yes, we will go after them, but we need to get to the other world. Constructors, begin work on this Dusk Forge. I have a feeling that our Dolmen Gate is not our only means of travel anymore."

"My Phaeron, the green-clad organic arrived through a portal outside the Palace. Perhaps we could return through it as well."

"Indeed. But we need to forces to do so in case we encounter any particularly heavy resistance. As you saw, the woman has an affinity for magic. No, it's too risky. We will wait for reinforcements."

-Mirror Chamber-

A sphere of dark energy appeared in the night sky, disgorging a flurry of Twilit Particles onto the dusty ground. The Particles recombined to form two figures- Midna and a wolf. The Twilight Princess stood, taking stock of her surroundings. She looked to the sky, she looked to the ground, and she looked to the pillars of the Mirror Chamber. Then she noticed the all-too-familiar wolf that lay at her feet.

"Not again."

She moved towards him, grimacing with each step. A dark crystal had been embedded in her thigh. Bending down, she shook his shoulders, attempting to rouse him.

"Link. Link? Can you hear me Link? I need you to wake up."

The wolf stayed asleep.

"Come on, we need to get out of here. We have metal men attacking and we don't know how to stop them."

The wolf stayed asleep.

"Gods damn it Link! People are going to die if we don't do anything! Now WAKE! UP!"

She formed a ball of energy and threw it at Link. It exploded against his side and he awoke with a start. He jumped to his feet, snarling at Midna before catching himself and stopping. He looked behind him, looking at his tail and his quadruped form. He rolled his eyes and looked at Midna.

"Don't look at me, I didn't do this to you. The metal man must have hit you with a dark crystal."

Wolf Link walked forward, moving behind Midna. Before he could stop him, he jumped up, clamped his teeth around the dark crystal in her thigh and yanked it out. She screamed in pain, black blood spilling from the wound. She fell on her side, forming a sphere of energy, the sphere pulsing with green lines. She pressed it into the wound, an agonising stinging building up, followed by numbness as the healing magic did its work, closing the ugly wound to a small scar. She stood up, seeing Wolf Link staring at her again.

"My magic won't work for curses like the one the dark crystal is causing. Please stop staring at me."

He averted his eyes, looking instead towards the Mirror of Twilight.

"They could come through the Mirror. Link, break it."

He looked at her in confusion.

"If I break it, it'll shatter beyond repair. No, you do it, and we can hide the pieces."

Link approached the dais and jumped on top of the Mirror, his teeth tearing it in half, and those halves were torn into half as well, leaving four jagged pieces of magic mirror. Midna picked up the pieces, sealing them away in her pocket dimension where she kept Link's items on their travels.

"We could do with returning you to your normal form. There's only one place we can do that. Come on, I'll warp us there."

Wolf Link walked over to Midna, who placed her hand on his forehead. The pair floated into the air, a portal forming over them. They split into Particles, vanishing into the portal.

**Hm. Relationships are difficult to write about. It's so much easier to kill things. Please keep reviewing, I can fix things that way.**


	3. Control

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy. **

-Faron Woods-

The air was still. Insects buzzed lethargically from plant to plant. Birds fluttered restlessly between the many branches of the woods in the summer's heat. Nearby, a stream bubbled quietly, following an erratic route through the trees. A resounding crack heralded the arrival of a large stag, emerging from the treeline to drink at the stream. It silently bowed its head, drinking deeply from the surface of the stream.

A lone figure was observing the beast, raising his bow. He reached over his shoulders, pulling an arrow out of its quiver and nocking it into place on the bowstring. Strong arms pulled the string back, the hunter's breathing slowing. The stag raised its head, looking around before slowly walking towards the treeline before bending down again, this time to graze on the sparse grass. The hunter adjusted his aim for the stag's new position, slowly swinging his arms around. He pulled back on the string again, ready to let the arrow fly when a mass of black particles appeared from nowhere, the stag rearing up and fleeing into the trees with a surprised snort. The particles coalesced, forming two figures. The first one, a woman, he did not recognise. Her red eyes and hair were not things that he would forget so easily. Pale skin was accompanied by black skin in a seemingly random pattern, and her arms were covered in many strange blue lines and shapes. The second figure, however, he recognised immediately. The silver-streaked grey fur of this large wolf was not something he would forget so soon. He took aim again, aiming at where the heart of the beast would be.

Midna and Link appeared in Faron Woods. Link shook off the feeling of teleportation while Midna recovered from the slight strain it took to teleport two people long distances. Her magic was holding, preventing her from burning in the World of Light. No sooner had she straightened out when she sensed a threat to Link's life. She ran over to the wolf who was busy drinking from the stream. She dived into him, pushing him into the stream, the force of her tackle forcing her in as well. An arrow flew overhead, embedding itself in the wall of the stream. She climbed out of the water, about to stand up when a sword was pressed against her neck.

"Don't move."

She complied, sinking down onto her knees while looking her attacker in the face, immediately recognising him from her travels with Link. He spoke again.

"You're the one behind the monster attacks."

"Excuse me?"

"Do not feign ignorance with me! That wolf terrorised our little village. It stole the children! Explain to me why I shouldn't kill you right now and take your head to our mayor."

She snapped her fingers, the man's sword wrenched out of his hand by an unseen force. She stood up, pressing a blade of her own to his throat.

"This wolf is the reason you're here now."

"I don't believe you."

"Did you not see the black wall of darkness that consumed these woods?"

"Of course."

"Then you should also know that it disappeared inexplicably."

"Yes."

"That was the doing of this wolf you see before you."

Link had crawled out of the stream, shaking his fur dry and approaching Midna.

"Now then Rusl, you're going to come with us. I have no idea where I am in these woods, so you're going to take us to the Sacred Grove."

Midna retrieved Rusl's sword from the ground, storing it away with her magic.

"Lead on."

The trio were led to the chasm that separated Faron Woods from the Sacred Grove. Rusl's golden cucco was still wandering the small clearing. Midna gestured to it.

"You first."

She removed the blade from his throat, allowing him to chase down and pick up the little bird. He ran and jumped, the bird's wings flapping flat-out to support the mans's weight. He reached the first platform, Midna teleporting after him, causing him to reel in surprise, almost falling into the chasm. Link took a running jump, clearing the gap with ease. The trio soon reached the Sacred Grove, the omnipresent mist curling around their ankles. The strange trees blocked out most of the sunlight, reducing the visibility drastically. Midna and Rusl squinted into the darkness, unable to see more than a few feet in front of them. Midna smiled, nudging Link with her foot.

"After you."

Rolling his eyes, Link took the lead, his sharpened senses cutting through the darkness. He led his two companions through the Grove, tracking his own scent through ancient trees, soon reaching the clearing where the Triforce was carved into a great stone slab. The path was still open, the guardian statues maintaining their vigilant watch. Link led his two companions to the final clearing, where the pedestal containing the Master Sword stood. As the wolf approached the divine blade, it began to glow, white light pouring from the Triforce emblazoned near the guard. Midna pulled Rusl back.

"You may want to cover your eyes."

As Rusl followed her advice, white light filled the clearing, followed by a cloud of black Particles. Rusl heard the wolf growl, the guttural sound rising in pitch until it became a howl which, as he listened, became more and more human. The light slowly faded, and what Rusl saw was far beyond his nightmares.

The wolf was gone; in its place was a face he could never forget in a thousand years. While there were scars there that were fairly new, the pointed ears and piercing blue eyes were the same.

He watched as he placed both hands on the hilt of the legendary blade, heaving it out of the pedestal. Once the blade came loose, he reached one hand behind him and removed the Ordon sword from its sheath, replacing it with the Master Sword. He walked towards Rusl, taking the Ordon sword by the blade, holding the hilt out to his mentor. Rusl was speechless.

"Link... Link, how..."

"He was cursed by the Twilight after he was pulled through the first time. Every time he comes into contact with a Dark Crystal, he reverts to his wolf form."

Midna reached out to the cloud of Twilight Particles. They converged above her open hand, forming the barbed crystal. She presented it to Rusl before storing it in her pocket dimension.

"We used it to our advantage though while we were locating the Mirror Shards. Link's senses as a wolf are much sharper than those of a human or Hylian. He found a way through a blizzard at Snowpeak using only his nose."

"What's that crystal? What does it do?"

"Hurts things. Curses beings from the Light. But, since I have the Master Sword, I can use it to change at will."

Midna tossed the crystal at Link, who caught it and was immediately encased in darkness. His fingers shortened, nails lengthening and becoming claws. His hands became paws, arms became forelegs. A tails sprouted from the small of his back, falling between his hind legs. His bone structure shifted, forcing him onto all-fours. his nose lengthened, becoming a snout, his ears sliding up his head and lengthening. Thick fur grew, covering his canine body. The whole process took less than two seconds. When the darkness disappeared, Rusl saw the wolf before him. The Dark Crystal formed in his mouth and he flung it towards Midna with a jerk of his head, who caught it and stored it away. The darkness left his body, forced out by the Master Sword, returning his form to that of a Hylian.

"Now do you understand Rusl?"

The smith looked between the Twili and his son.

"I've seen enough. Why are you here though?"

Midna's face became a mask of anger.

"Some unknown individual led a small squad of automata into the Twilight Realm and attacked the Palace. Link and I fled to the desert and we broke the Mirror."

The four shards appeared in her hands, and Rusl reached out to touch it. Midna snatched them away before he got the chance.

"Not a chance. The last time we saw someone use this too much, it changed her into a monster."

Rusl dropped his hand, nodding in understanding.

"Link, the people of Ordon need to know. They need to know that you were the beast."

Link grimaced, shaking his head.

"I have plans on going to Ordon, please don't tell them I'm the beast. They'll get the wrong idea."

"Fine, but what about her?" Rusl said, pointing to Midna.

"I can create illusions."

Twilit Particles gathered around her, covering her completely. As they dissipated, Link could see that Midna no longer looks like a Twili; instead, she had the dark grey skin of the Gerudo. Her burnt orange hair had remained the same, but appeared much brighter against her now-grey skin. Her eyes were still hers though, but seemed less conspicuous due to her Gerudo form.

"Alright then. Ordon."

-Palace of Twilight-

Trazyn was sat upon the throne of the Palace of Twilight. He had already set up a desk, a small selection of artefacts spread across it. In the middle of the stone slab sat the piece of Fused Shadow he had acquired. Several wires trailed off it, attached to the collated artefacts. He looked up as the large door lit up, grinding upwards, permitting access for the Hammerer. He was carrying a small pile of weapons.

"My Phaeron, the sweep is complete, but we found no fragments of the Fused Shadow. However, these weapons have a similar signature."

The Hammerer dropped the pile of weapons on the ground in front of Trazyn. A greatsword, two daggers, a spear and a warhammer lay before him. Trazyn held his hand over them, feeling the echoes of power radiating from them.

"I feel we should use these to our advantage. Have the other three Vanguardians choose among themselves which weapons to take."

The Hammerer lifted the Twilit warhammer, giving it a few practice swings. A stream of Twilit Particles trailed behind the head, blue lines in the weapons glowing. Satisfied, the Hammer removed his own hammer and set it down in front of Trazyn before lifting the remaining Twilit weapons and striding out of the room. As he opened the door to the throne room, a Constructor hurried in, bowing hastily before standing up.

"My Phaeron, the two organics that escaped, they went to the Light World via the Mirror of Twilight. But, they did something on the other side."

"Show me."

The Constructor led Trazyn out of the Palace, directing him towards the arcane circle that formed the Mirror. It was no longer a circle.

The large rune was broken, split into four large sections. The many symbols granting the Mirror its power had faded, leaving dark spaces between the glowing rings.

"Looks like we may be using our Dolmen Gate after all. But this Mirror can wait. The Dusk Forge will prove to be a much bigger boon to us once it's fixed. How go the repairs?"

"7% repaired, my Phaeron. We predict that repairs will take at least another four days."

"What if I supplied you with more Constructors?"

"Irrelevant, my Phaeron. This is not a matter of numbers, but a matter of skill."

Trazyn began to walk back towards the Palace, the Constructor walking a respectful distance behind. He returned to the throne room, sitting at his desk again. As he reached towards the Fused Shadow fragment, he was interrupted by the large door sliding open again, permitting access to one of his Vanguardians. He was dragging a struggling figure with him. He came before Trazyn, throwing the figure forward and holding his greatsword over it. It stared at the massive blade with fear in its fiery eyes.

"Broadsword, who is this?"

Trazyn stared at the being, noting the shadow-covered pale flesh, glowing markings and short legs.

"Ah, one of the indigenous. Tell me, what did you do before we... Commandeered this building?"

It spoke with a high, echoing voice, muddling its words as it stared at Broadsword's appropriately-sized weapon.

"H-Hylian?" Surprise appeared on the Twili's face, instantly replaced by fear.

"Y-you have no idea what you're d-doing with those weapons. They're dangerous! They w-were locked away for that reason!"

Trazyn walked into the Twili's field of view.

"Tell me your name."

"R-Rae'yn"

"This palace seems awfully big for just a young man, woman and servitor to inhabit, Rae'yn. Where are the others?"

"I d-don't know..."

"False. You THINK you don't know, but in reality you know exactly where they are."

"I swear by Umbrak I have no idea where they are."

Trazyn reached inside his hood.

"It matters not whether YOU know where they are. The information I require is in your mind somewhere. I am a busy person. I need more Constructors."

He pulled his hand out of his hood, a small clutch of Mindshackle Scarabs held in his fist. He tossed them at Rae'yn, who recoiled as the tiny machines landed on her. She screamed in pain as they burrowed into her head, through her skull and into her brain. The Scarabs swarmed the large organ, devouring it and the information it held. Rae'yn fell to the floor, shadowy blood flowing across the bricks. The Scarabs emerged from Rae'yn's empty skull, crawling up Trazyn's body and back into his hood, where they deposited their information. Trazyn's eyes lit up as he sorted through the lifetime of memories that had been extracted. He realised that most of the inhabitants spoke in an unrecognisable language. The reason Rae'yn was able to speak Terran was that she was an interpreter. Scouring through her memories again, Trazyn found her remembrance of her lessons in speaking Terran- Hylian, as it turned out to be called throughout the realm. Trazyn's mind filled with sudden clarity as he absorbed the knowledge of the Twili language. He looked through Rae'yn's memories again, finding what he was looking for.

"Broadsword, take Spear with you and go to this location of the Palace. This is apparently where they're hiding. Bring me any engineers, builders, constructors alive. The rest are... Disposable."

Broadsword nodded curtly, sheathing his massive blade and striding out of the throne room. Trazyn returned to his study of the Fused Shadow.

Spear and Broadsword stalked through the empty halls, sweeping the castle under Trazyn's orders. They approached the location he had uploaded to their minds, the suspected location of the hiding Twili. They approached a large door, the runes carved into it labelling the room behind as the Hall of Mirrors. As the pair approached, the door lit up, runes glowing blue and began to rise with a rumble. The two androids entered, the door grinding shut behind them.

The room was huge, with almost every surface covered in mirrors of varying shapes and sizes. All were polished to perfection, gleaming in the twilight and reflecting the robots across the many hundreds of surfaces. Spear and Broadsword walked through the hall, weapons raised, glaring into each mirror as they passed.

A bolt of magic bounced off a mirror ahead of the pair, ricocheting away from the polished surface and slamming into Spear. He stumbled back from the concussive force. Broadsword was already moving, sword raised, charging down the hall before coming to a stop, slowly turning around and scrutinising every mirror. Another bolt appeared, bouncing and hitting Broadsword in the back. He whirled around, searching for the perpetrator. He watched carefully as Spear looked about himself. Broadsword watched as a bolt of magic emerged from one of the mirrors. He tracked it as it flew, ducking under it as it drew close. He pointed to the mirror and Spear followed his signal, striding towards the mirror. A metallic fist shattered it and dragged a screeching Twili from an alcove hidden behind. It was thrown unceremoniously to the floor, the Twilit Spear held against its throat.

"Where are the others?"

The Twili became silent.

"I will ask again. Where are the others?"

The Twili remained silent.

"Start breaking mirrors."

Broadsword became a whirl of motion, swings and thrusts of his sword blending seamlessly together. One by one, mirrors became shattered glass, littering the bricks with jagged shards. Once one wall was clear of intact mirrors, Broadsword moved to the other, his enchanted blade tearing deep furrows into the wall. His flow was disrupted as the blade bounced off one of the larger mirrors.

"What's in there?"

"Nothing."

"You're holding out on us. No matter. We have our ways."

A small swarm of Mindshackle Scarabs crawled down Spear's arm, down his weapon and jumped onto the Twili's neck. It started screaming as they burrowed through its skull, taking control of all brain functions. Once Spear was sure that he had control, he removed the tip of his spear from the Twili's neck, allowing it to stand.

"Show us what's behind the mirror."

Instantly, it walked over to it, placing a dark hand on the shining material. Blue lines spread across it and the surface became transparent, revealing a corridor lit by pulsing white sigils. Broadsword relayed a single message to Trazyn.

"Release the swarm."

For a minute, nothing happened. The hall was silent, the only noise coming from the Twili's ragged breathing. Then, a chittering starting, an incessant racks that grew in volume until the door at the end of the Hall Of Mirrors burst open, a swarm of scarabs, swarming down the secret passageway. A moment of silence was followed by screaming as the Twili inside were forcibly invaded by the minute machines. Once the screaming stopped, a steady stream of Twili filed out of the shattered frame. Five, ten, twenty, twenty five controlled Twili stood before Broadsword and Spear, mindless drones to be commanded.

"My Phaeron, we have found some more manpower for you. Twenty five of the indigenous, ready to be ordered to do your bidding. Yes, we shall take them there immediately."

The robots exited the hall, the controlled Twili in tow. They soon reached the courtyard where the Dusk Forge lay shattered, Necron Constructors using exotic tools to repair the large dish. As the Twili were ushered in, the Constructors looked up from their tasks, merely pointing at the dish. The Twili moved forward, picking up magical tools, swarming about the Forge and repairing arcane conduits, slowly but surely restoring the device.


	4. Home

FDTT ch3

**A rather saucy scene coming up. It's nothing explicit, but quite suggestive. You have been warned.**

**Also, **_**bold italics**_** indicates the voice of powerful beings.**

**Onwards!**

"Halt! You shall go no further!"

"Relax, Fado. It's only me."

The wickedly sharp pitchfork that was held up, glinting in to moonlight, dropped and was swung over a shoulder. Fado emerged from his hiding place, eyes glinting in the dark. Upon noticing Link, his eyes shone with joy.

"Link! You're back! Folks have been worrying about you something awful."

He noticed the Gerudo stood behind him, suspicion creasing his face.

"Who's this you brought with you?"

Link turned to Midna, wordlessly asking what he should say.

"My name's Midna. I was ambushed in the desert a while ago and woke up in the forest. Link here found me."

Fado nodded slowly, the suspicion never leaving his eyes.

"Hmm, alright, well the least I can do is offer you shelter. Follow me back to the village."

The four set off, following a winding path through the trees, the moonlight barely lighting the way. It didn't seem to make a difference to Fado, who moved as if it were still daylight. Midna had no trouble either, though she hid it well, falling into character as if she had spent years in the desert's harsh light, eyes glowing in the darkness.

Soon, Fado led them onto the path, in front of a large bridge. As they crossed, Fado whistled a six-note tune. The faint sound of arrows being returned to quivers filled the air momentarily, along with a quiet rustling as the hidden sentries settled into their hiding places again. Fado led them forward.

Soon, a glow lit up the trees ahead of them, the small village of Ordon. The smell of pumpkins drifted on the air alongside the occasional bleat of a goat. Fado led Rusl, Link and Midna to the town hall, knocking on the large door solidly. The noise resonated through the air. Heavy footfalls boomed behind the door, the latch clicked and the door swung open, Mayor Bo stood there. He looked at each member of the party in turn; respect towards Fado and Rusl, suspicion towards Midna. A smile split his face as he saw the green-garbed young man stood on his step.

"Link! You've come back! Everything straightened out in Hyrule, then?"

Link smiled back, albeit wearily.

"Mostly. Reparations have started, and it'll be some time before everything is back to normal."

"You must be tired. You'll not need to do anything for now. Why don't you go home, rest up? We can talk in the morning."

Bo turned to Midna.

"Now, what'll we do with you?"

She started to talk, but Link interrupted her.

"She can stay with me."

Bo raised his eyebrows.

"Are you sure? You hardly know this woman."

"I'll be fine. I can handle myself."

"If you say so."

Bo pointed at Midna.

"I'll tolerate no harm on Link. If you have a problem, take it up with me."

Just as quickly as it appeared, Bo's cold tone vanished.

"Now then. Fado, you can handle yourself now, take the rest of the night off. Same goes for you, Rusl. Link, Midna, I'm sure Uli will be fine with cooking you something to eat. You must be hungry."

Midna spoke.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mayor."

"Please, Bo will do. Link'll show you the way to Rusl's house."

Link and Midna began to walk across the darkened village. Bo grabbed Rusl, pulling him close.

"I don't trust this Midna. I want a Light Tear in her food. I need to know who or what she is."

Rusl nodded, running after the pair. Bo slowly closed the door to the town hall, the light from inside cut off.

Rusl took a key from his pocket, inserting it into the solitary lock on the wooden door. It turned with a click, the door swinging open. Uli looked up from the fire, the ladle she was using to stir the large pot leaving her hand. She embraced Link and Rusl in turn, and offered a handshake to Midna. The disguised Twili returned the gesture, fiery eyes staring into Uli's dark ones.

"Welcome back to Ordon, Link. And welcome to Ordon, Midna. I hope you like our little village."

Midna nodded cautiously.

"I like it here. It's quiet."

Uli walked back to the fire, sitting and stirring the large pot there. She added some herbs, plants that Midna didn't recognise. Rusl sat down beside her, hugging her again and whispering something in her ear. Uli nodded, reaching again into her small cabinet of ingredients. She poured a small amount of a blue liquid into the pot. Midna couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light, but she could've sworn the liquid was glowing.

"Alright then. Who's hungry?"

Three hands were raised in the flickering light. Uli produced four bowls, spooning a modest amount of the soup into each one. Midna had to admit, it smelled good. Spicy, even. She saw the others drinking straight out of the bowl. She lifted her own, bringing it to her lips and swallowing some of it. It tasted as good as it smelled, so she drank again. Soon, four empty bowls were placed on the table, the four figures lounging by the fire. Uli spoke first.

"So, Midna. What did you think of my soup?"

"It was great. I personally wouldn't have made it as spicy, since they're in such short supply in the desert."

Uli and Rusl exchanged a sideways glance, as if they were waiting for something. Rusl glared at Midna, the warmth leaving his eyes.

"You lied to me."

"What?"

"You said you weren't a demon."

"What are you-"

Midna's question was cut off as she screamed in pain, doubling over and pressing her hands into the side of her head. She looked at her hand, the disguise peeling away like thin paper. She looked at Rusl and Uli.

"What… Have... You… Done?"

She fell onto her side, losing control of her magic. Her hair lost its form, splaying out beside her. Link looked at Rusl.

"What did you do?"

"I put a Light Tear in the soup. That's why it tasted spicy to her only."

"You've poisoned her."

Midna carried on screaming, blood pooling in her mouth and evaporating into small strands of shadow. Her disguise had dissipated, leaving her normal Twili form convulsing on the hard floor.

Items began materialising, appearing in thin air and clattering to the floor. Link recognised them as items from his travels. Bow. Bombs. Clawshots. Dark Crystal. Thinking fast, he scrambled over to his scabbard, drawing the Master Sword and using the weapon to hit the crystal into her side. Instantly, Midna's convulsions stopped. Instead, she arched backwards, the Dark Crystal dissolving into her body. Blue light streamed from her mouth, coalescing into a brilliant sphere of light. Midna scrambled back as it fell to the floor in front of her, backing into the wall. She looked at Rusl, fear and betrayal in her eyes. Link approached her, sliding down the wall and placing his arms around her. She flinched, before settling into his embrace. Link could feel Midna shaking. She spoke with a hoarse voice, her words shaking with her body.

"Why? Why would you do that?"

Uli and Rusl looked at each other before speaking.

"We had to make sure you weren't an enemy.

"If its enemies you're looking to make, poisoning them is a good way to do it."

Rusl recoiled as if struck. Uli winced before speaking.

"We didn't know it would have such a profound effect. Normally, it causes evil beings to shed their disguise."

"Next time, do your homework. Light is bad for the Twili." Midna spat back.

Link helped her get to her feet, half-carrying her to the door.

"I'll be in my house. Good night."

He opened the door with his one remaining hand, walked out and slammed it shut. The pair hobbled across the village, the only noise coming from the stream bubbling through. They reached the foot of Link's treehouse and Midna groaned as she saw the ladder leading up to the door.

"Is there no other way in?"

"Nope."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I will be waiting until you climb that ladder before going anywhere."

She sat down, the damp ground quickly soaking through her few clothes. Link watched as she sunk into his shadow, the ground swallowing her legs first, then her chest, then finally, her head. Link shook his head, chuckling at her stubbornness.

He climbed up the ladder, reaching the small platform in front of his door. Extracting a silver key from a hidden pouch in his tunic, he unlocked the door, closing it behind him and raising an eyebrow in confusion as he saw the fire already lit, and Midna sat in front of it.

"That's a neat trick."

She turned to him.

"I could always do this. But then, what would you have done without me?"

She sauntered over, walking behind him and draping her arms over his shoulders.

"Poor little Link, cursed as a wolf and with no idea how to get out of a mere cell..."

"Alright, you've made your point."

"Until I came along, you were helpless. Doomed to waste away in that cell."

"Alright, I get it, thank you, yes-"

"Do you remember the promise you made?"

Link cringed inwardly. How could he forget?

"Nope. Nothing."

"Really? What a pity. I guess I'll just have to remind you then."

Midna moved, sweeping the legs out from under Link, pushing him face-first to the floor. Link went to stand up when he felt her sit down on top of him, as if he were still a wolf and she an imp.

"I said, in return for helping you, that you become my servant."

She leaned forward, jerking his ear back and whispering into it.

"I might just have to hold you to your promises."

She shifted her weight, allowing Link to roll onto his back. She stood up and clicked her fingers. She disappeared with a faint buzz and a burst of Twilit Particles, reappearing on his bed. She beckoned to Link, staring at him as he removed his tunic and boots, leaving himself bare-chested. He climbed into the bed next to her, raising an eyebrow as she rolled on top of him again. She moved his hands over and above his head; Link did not realise the danger before it was too late. With two quick bursts of magic, he found himself unable to move his hands. As he made to grab her, he heard the familiar metallic clink of chains. His expression quickly became one of anger.

"Goddesses Midna, let me go. I don't want this."

She shushed him with a slender finger on his lips, and he stopped struggling for a moment. She flashed him an impish grin and two more bursts of magic. He couldn't move his legs anymore, the dull grey metal of shackles restraining him.

"Midna, let me go. I don't want this."

She laughed at him, a simultaneously wonderful and terrifying sound.

"I'm only keeping your promise. Servants obey their mistress' every command."

Seeing no possible escape, he resigned himself to his fate. He stopped struggling, letting his arms and legs drop as far the shackles would let him. Midna smiled again.

"There we go. Now, we're both going to have some fun."

She sat up, removing the shadow skin she wore instead of a shirt. Link felt his heart skip a beat.

"Now then. I know I want this. But I need to make you want it too. And this has the added bonus of being... Therapeutic for me."

"I'm sure there other ways of healing you."

"True... But can you get to the Twilight realm from here?"

Any protest that Link had was cut off as Midna slid her hand below his waistband, quickly leading to a very visible bulge.

"Are you sure you still don't want this? I could stop now…"

"N-no!"

Link felt he'd answered far too quickly.

"Well then. Let's get started."

Mayor Bo was awoken by a heavy knock at his door. He sat up in bed, quickly pulling a shirt and pants on and heading out of his room. He opened the door, greeted by the solemn face of Rusl.

"Is there something wrong?"

"The Light Tear poisoned her."

"When you say poisoned..."

"She almost died, Bo."

Bo fell silent. He thought for a while, before finally coming up with a solution.

"That bad? Hmm. I will resolve this in the morning. Rusl, this is not your fault. I ordered you to use that Light Tear. I will take the blame for this."

Rusl walked away without a word, heading out into the darkness. Bo shook his head, closing the large door.

Rusl worked his way through the village, crossing the stream and heading out of the village, sword in hand and a bow strung across his back. He always found hunting quite calming. As he walked past Link's house, he shuddered. He had almost killed someone he didn't even know. He had sworn to protect, not murder. He walked past Ordona's spring and across the rope bridge leading into Faron Woods.

He drew his bow, settling into a hunter's stance, legs bent, bow ready to fire on a moment's notice. He crept through the dark forest, searching for any quarry that may be of value to him.

A snapping twig caught his attention and he whirled around, bow raised and drawn. He followed the source of the sound, his eyes making out the vague shape of animal tracks in the moist earth. He followed them as best he could, making use of the few rays of moonlight that pierced through the thick canopy. The tracks vanished into the undergrowth, forcing Rusl to stop and listen again. He soon heard it- heavy breathing right behind him. He dropped his bow and drew his sword in one smooth motion, swinging it towards his target only to have it pass through a phantom.

It was strange seeing the glowing blue figure simply stood behind him, its strange mask staring at him with lizard-like eyes.

It moved.

Suddenly it was upon him, helmeted face in from of his, staring into him. An unseen force prised his mouth open, and the phantom disintegrated, forming a blue mist that forced its way down his throat. Pain wracked his body, every nerve burning as this presence invaded his body. His back arched as the pain increase, head thrown back in a silent scream. For a moment, Rusl's dark eyes were replaced with a terrible burning orange, red lines appearing across his body. Then, as soon as it appeared, it disappeared, and Rusl dropped to the floor, unconscious. Minutes later, he stirred, taking stock of his surroundings. He stood, retrieving his bow and sword which had dropped to the ground for some unknown reason. Why had he been sleeping in Faron Woods? He shook his head, starting to make his way back through the dark forest, back to the relative safety of Ordon.

-Castle Town-

"NO!"

Zelda woke with a start. She sat up in her bed, disorientated until she remembered where she was. She currently had a room above Telma's bar. It was a modest home, but it was cosy and would certainly suffice until the Castle repairs were complete. The door opened, her guard leaning in with a worried expression.

"Is everything alright, my lady?"

"I'm fine. Just another

_premonition _

nightmare."

The guard nodded, closing the door. Zelda lay down, the premonition still coursing through her mind. It wasn't fair! Hyrule had already been ravaged once, the Twilight covering Hyrule like a flag on a coffin. Now she had seen more visions of pain and fire, and it appeared something else was afoot in the Twilight Realm.

She shook her head, the last vestiges of sleep leaving her. There was no way she could get back to sleep now. Opening the curtains, she saw the sun peeking over the horizon. It was early. Not many people would be out. Great.

Donning her long black cloak, she left her room and headed downstairs. Telma was up already, wiping down taps and cleaning the bar top. She saw the princess leaving the bar.

"Anything you want to talk about, hon?

The princess hesitated, thought for a moment before heading over to the bar, sitting down and staring at her hands.

"What happened, hon?"

"Another premonition. So soon after we solved one problem, and we have another."

"How bad?"

Zelda looked right at Telma, and Telma was shocked to see true fear in the princess' eyes.

"Worse than Zant. Worse than Ganondorf. I can't even tell what these things are. I can't even feel a soul in them."

Telma reached across the bar, pulling the princess into a hug. The guard in the room raised his spear, before letting it drop. Zelda pulled away, lifting her hood and heading towards the door. She headed out into the cold, winter sun. The town was almost empty. The only people outside were the guards and Agitha, the strange girl obsessed with insects. She waved at Zelda, giggled and curtseyed.

_Strange girl._

Zelda walked to the large gate that hid the ruins of the castle from view. She dropped her hood, the guards opening the gate for her. She slipped through, the ruins filling her vision.

The pile of rubble was only marginally smaller than it was yesterday. Many men were working all day to sort through the shattered masonry to try and salvage something, anything, of worth. At night, there were still people working on the huge mess that was left from Midna and Ganondorf's explosive battle, but they were much more talented- more of the Twili had access to magic than Midna let on, it would seem. Once the light had receded, the Twili emerged from their temporary homes just outside the walls of Castle Town. Using arcane arts and coordination, they converted each piece of rubble into programmable matter, the so-called Twilit Particles. Great swarms of the semi-physical squares had been created and stored as large blocks of insanely dense material. The Twili architects had been elated with the creation of this dense material, listing off all the possible uses they could think of if they had more of it. The main problem was making it, as it required so many Particles to create.

As the sun slowly rose over the horizon, the amassed Twili looked to the brightening sky, gathering their tools and becoming Particles themselves, teleporting to their small settlement. Soon, discordant footsteps filled the air as a large team of Hylian engineers, headed up by two Twili in special protective clothing that nullified the Light's detrimental effect on their shadowy forms. The air was again filled with the sound of metal on stone, the ruins cut into manageable pieces and set aside for the Twili to work their magic on. Slowly, the great black slabs of super-dense stone, nicknamed Shadowstone, grew in size.

Zelda walked over to one of the Twili architects.

"Excuse me, can you spare a moment?"

The Twili looked to her, away from the slab they were deconstructing. They closed their hands, the blue markings on their arms fading. They looked at Zelda, unidentifiable behind the faceless mask and shapeless robes. The Twili raised their hands to the mask, unclasping the metal and opening it. A shadow-wreathed face stared at Zelda, the fiery eyes obscured behind a pair of welding goggles.

"What is your name?"

"Gideox, m'lady."

"Do you mind answering a few questions?"

"Not at all, m'lady."

This excited Zelda. She hadn't had a chance to question a Twili before. Midna had been quite stubborn.

"What is it like in the Twilight Realm?"

"It is neither hot nor cold, neither light nor dark. It is... Unique."

"How far do your magic abilities span?"

"Transmutation, teleportation, various attack and defence disciplines."

"What are the blue markings on your arms?"

"Decorative and arcane symbols, some for show, others augmenting my abilities."

"Do you have a magical limit?"

"Yes."

"How can you tell?"

"My markings dim."

Zelda nodded.

"Thank you so much, Gideox. This is the first time I've been able to find out much about your people."

"It isn't a problem, m'lady."

Gideox held out a protected hand. Zelda looked at it for a second before raising her hand to shake it. As she did so, her bracelet caught the sun, reflecting the rising light straight into the Twili's unprotected face.

Gideox hissed in surprise and pain, reeling away and raising a hand to his face. Zelda pulled him to his feet.

"Goddesses! I'm so sorry. Let me help you."

Slowly, Gideox dropped his hands. Zelda could see the damage that less than a second of light exposure had caused. A stripe of Gideox's dark face had been scorched an ugly red, blisters already rising underneath the pale flesh. Carefully, she placed two fingers beside the burn, muttering under her breath. It immediately became less inflamed, the blisters receding and the skin taking on its usual pale hue.

"I'm so sorry about that. I assure you I mean no harm."

Gideox touched where the burn once was. All that remained was a slight discolouration.

"It was no fault of your own, M'lady."

Zelda let out a sigh of relief.

"As long as you're alright. I wouldn't be able to bear-"

Zelda suddenly stopped, looking about carefully. The world was becoming brighter. Great sections of the area were swallowed by light. The whole world became blank, naught but a white void.

-Whitespace Void-

"Hello? Is there anyone there?"

Zelda's voice range across the nothingness. Link awoke, sitting up and shielding his eyes from the glare.

"Princess?"

Link stood up, feet impacting with something hard and flat. He couldn't see it in the Whitespace Void. He walked forwards, into the light. A slight discolouration was in the distance in front of him. He walked towards it, the shape slowly coming into focus. He could soon make out the shape of Princess Zelda in the Void.

"Princess, where are we?"

She turned to him, closing the immaterial gap between them and embracing him.

"I have no idea. The Void? Another world? Your guess is as good as mine."

_**You are in my realm.**_

The voice came from everywhere at once, yet felt like nowhere at all. Both Link and Zelda jumped at it. Looking around, a shadowy figure had appeared, Twilit Particle streaming from it.

"Who are you?"

_**My identity is of no concern to you at this moment in time. I shall explain my reasons for bringing you here. But first, you must be verified.**_

A ring of magic formed around them. Zelda did not recognise the pointed stones and energy fields around them, but Link did. He had been ambushed by Shadow Beasts many times inside them. Several portals opened around them.

Link drew the Master Sword, and Zelda readied her magic.

_**Survive.**_

**Alright, another chapter down. Please review, as I can fix things this way and answer your questions.**

**Aura, out.**


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